Panache Cafe & Creperie
68 Hesse Street (main drag)
Queenscliff
As a family, we are lucky enough to have the use of my grandparents’ holiday house down at Point Lonsdale, and a couple of times have popped into this little cafe in the main drag, before or after perusing the op shops, second hand bookshops (where I got my beloved copy of Nigella’s How To Eat at a very reasonable price) and other delights Queenscliff has to offer. This particular time? I took photos.
Panache Cafe & Creperie has some witty signs up and around, including one I particularly liked which says “Unattended children will be given Espresso and a free kitten.” Possibly one of the most threatening signs parents could read.
Potato & cheese crepe – the side salad makes it healthier.
For lunch I went with crepe-of-the-day, which includes a cup of coffee, and received the potato-and-cheese crepe which was hearteningly stodgy (carb-on-carb action, that’s what I love) and came with a tasty relish. On a previous visit I ordered the gado gado vegetarian crepe, which was basically this (curried potato) but with a peanut satay sauce. Also recommended.
Spiced potato curry on the inside
Dad went off message (“we’re getting crepes today!” was the message) and got a croque monsieur which he seemed to enjoy. I have a feeling the only thing that turns a toasted sandwich with ham cheese and tomato into a “croque monsieur” is the addition of cheese ON TOP instead of in the middle – ooh la la. So French, so chic.
Say it with me – side salad equals healthy.
Mum & Mr Behemoth both ordered the tuscan chicken crepe, which is the crepe I have my eye on getting next time (oh, we’ll return). Chicken, olives, cheese and sundried tomatoes. They both enjoyed their crepes. I had a little taste of Mum’s and approved.
It did look the oiliest of the three, due to the sundried tomatoes and olives methinks.
TL,DR? Give Panache Cafe & Creperie a go for a different type of lunch when you’re down the beach. Apparently, according to Kenny of the excellent blog Consider the Sauce, there is a whole chain of these all around Geelong – something I didn’t realise when we were eating in Queenscliff!
Fresh Bread 